Get Through This Day
by MamaBearKat
Summary: A very pregnant Kagome is feeling more than a little stifled under the constant watchful eye of her anxious hanyou husband. A little angst tinged fluff piece for Inuyasha and Kagome. WARNING: Contains multiple mentions of a previous miscarriage. Please don't read if you think this would be upsetting for you.


_I decided to write this story after my NaLu pregnancy one-shot received so many positive reviews on Tumblr, AO3 and here, and wanted to try writing one for Inu and Kagome too. Just a warning, before you begin. This story contains a few mentions of previous miscarriage. If this is upsetting for you, please don't read. As someone who has been through that myself, I would hate to think that anything I wrote would be triggering for someone._

 _I hope you enjoy it!_

* * *

Kagome pushed herself back up into a kneeling position, stretching out her back. She hadn't been able to do the weeding on their little herb and vegetable garden for the past few days because her back had been aching too much, but this morning she had woken up just before dawn full of energy, and she'd decided that she would get her work done today, no matter what.

Inuyasha had reluctantly agreed to go hunting when she'd coaxed him into it at breakfast, because they _did_ have to eat, and she really felt like eating rabbit or fish. Then the coast was clear for her to get to work; she had rushed to get all those jobs that had been niggling at her to be done but that Inuyasha had stopped her doing, airing the futon, scrubbing down the wooden bench where she prepared their food, cleaning out the fire pit. It was still early in the day, perhaps she could take a little break before beginning to make lunch. And now the weeding was done; her little garden looked much better. If she hurried, she'd be able to carry a few buckets over to water it a little before he got back.

Her hands came forward to rest on her baby bump, rubbing circles over her floral patterned kosode. This baby would be cherished. She thought with sadness and love of the other little life that Inuyasha and her had made and lost. She had miscarried their baby last year at around three months and Inuyasha had been inconsolable. They had mourned together as she had recovered, but when he had haltingly suggested that perhaps it was his fault, that a hanyou was just not meant to have a child, she had put him straight very quickly, saying that she didn't believe that for one minute. And now, according to Kaede, it would not be long until their second child arrived.

Kagome rocked back on her heels, ready to push herself to her feet, and realised with dismay that she was stuck. Sometimes she forgot that her centre of gravity was so changed now that she was heavily pregnant, and simple things like getting to her feet from the ground were much more difficult. She tried to think about her problem logistically. If only she was over near the fence, she'd be able to pull herself up easily, but she was on the other side of the garden with nothing to grab on to. That low ache in her back was beginning again; it looked like her reprieve was over. She needed to get back inside before…

"Fuck Kagome, are you alright? I told you I would do the weeding later!"

She sighed, squinting up into the glare where the anxious and irritated face of her husband was partially blocking the spring sunshine. "I'm fine Inuyasha, you don't need to worry. But I'm a little stuck."

He looked at her quizzically for a moment, and then realised her problem. Coming to her rescue with a fanged grin, he dropped the pair of rabbits he'd caught for dinner on the ground and then reached down his strong arms and lifted her to her feet. She smiled her thanks at him, and then pushed her knuckles into her lower back, trying to relieve the ache that was increasing.

Inuyasha pushed her hands away gently and began kneading her back himself. "Why on earth were you weeding the garden if your back was hurting again, wench o'mine?" he muttered, doing his best to relieve her discomfort. The muscles in her back were rock hard, and he did his best to loosen them without hurting her.

Kagome pouted, leaning her forehead on his shoulder, grimacing in a mixture of pain and relief. "I did the gardening because I felt fine", she snipped. This is why she had wanted to get back inside before Inuyasha came home. Ever since Kaede had said that the baby would probably be arriving soon, he hadn't left her alone for more than a few minutes. In fact, this whole pregnancy he had constantly been by her side. She loved him so much, but at the same time, his intense need to take care of her every minute of the day was a little stifling.

"Well, maybe now you'll listen to me when I say to let me do it", he said with a slightly smug expression.

Kagome felt a strong urge to hit him hard in the shoulder, but then that pain in her back rolled through again, more intensely than it had before. She groaned, gripping on to his fire rat suikan with both hands and leaned into him, rocking her hips to try and relieve the discomfort.

"Kagome?" asked Inuyasha uncertainly. He supported her as she rocked, sudden fear lurching in his gut. When Kagome had lost the baby last year, she had been so ill. For days her body had been racked with fever, Kaede struggling to bring her temperature down. She had been barely conscious, delirious, and Inuyasha had been frantic, terrified that he would lose not only the baby, but her too.

The only thing that had kept him sane were Kaede's stern but supportive words, and Sango taking his place at Kagome's side for a little while so Miroku could drag him out to get a little fresh air. And when Kagome had finally woken up, and Kaede had broken the news that their baby had not survived, her sobs had shattered him, even as he held her and cried silent tears along with her, grieving for the little one they would never get to meet.

This whole pregnancy he had been struggling with a fear that Kagome and the baby would suddenly be taken away. He knew it was irrational. Kagome had recovered well and was very healthy and strong. Kaede had been giving her regular checks, and he made sure that he was always around so that he could pick up any early signs of sickness with his sensitive nose. He could hear the baby's heart whenever he leaned close enough, a rapid whooshing beat that brought him comfort whenever he heard it. But still he was afraid.

Kagome sighed deeply as the pain ebbed away. This ache in her back just kept getting worse. It had been going on for a few days now, at first only every now and then, but this morning it seemed to be coming on in a regular pattern… oh. Her heart started beating faster as she worked out what was going on, and she could have hit herself in the head for not recognising it sooner. She'd probably been in early labour for days, and now it was becoming more established. She bit her bottom lip, wondering if she should tell Inuyasha yet. The contractions, if that's what they were, weren't too close together yet, she could probably still make lunch and tell him after. She pulled on Inuyasha's hand as she tried to move towards their little hut, but he held her firmly in his arms.

"What's going on Kagome?" he said softly, his ears having picked up her elevated heart rate. His eyes searched her face for any sign of continued pain. "Should I be worried?"

Kagome reached up and stroked his cheek gently, smiling, trying to smooth away the anxious expression. "I don't think worry is the right word to use. But I'm thinking that maybe we will get to meet our baby today. Maybe tomorrow." Kagome had attended quite a few births in the village with Kaede while she learnt more about healing as her apprentice, and she knew that first time births often took a long time.

Inuyasha stiffened, his ears pointed upwards in high alert. "What do we do!? Do you need me to go get Kaede now?"

Kagome gave him a comforting hug, trying to wrap her arms around him as well as she could with her baby bump in the way. "Inuyasha, you need to calm down. Please." She tilted her face back to look up at his. "I'm counting on you to be strong for me. I'll let you know when it's time to go get Kaede. Maybe you could get Sango to sit with me too, in a little while. But right now, I think it's time to eat. Do you think you could clean those rabbits for me?"

Kagome started off towards their little hut, pushing aside the hanging mat covering the doorway, and sliding off her zori as she stepped up onto the raised wooden platform of their living area. Miso soup would be good, not too heavy on her stomach. She leaned forward to get a small fire started in the fire pit, flint ready in her hand, when another rolling pain hit her. She went down on her hands and knees and rocked, trying to breathe through it and stay on top of the pain. She couldn't help but give a small moan at the height of the contraction, and Inuyasha instantly appeared in the doorway, as if summoned.

"Fuck."

He dropped down beside her, hands hovering uncertainly for a moment, then rubbed on her back like he had been a few minutes before. She leaned her body against him as he massaged her, pressing his thumbs in circles just above her tailbone where her muscle spasms seemed the tightest.

"Harder", moaned Kagome, and he increased the pressure, but not too much, worried he would bruise her. After a few moments, she breathed out a sigh of relief. "It's gone."

Inuyasha sat and pulled Kagome into his lap without a word, arms wrapped tightly around her, his nose buried in her neck. Kagome hugged him back, feeling the tension practically vibrating through his arms as he began to rock slightly, a faint keening whimper mostly hidden by her hair as he pushed himself tightly against her.

"Inu, what…"

"What if I lose you? What if I lose _both_ of you?"

The words were a broken whisper that she had to strain to hear, and then all the constant touching, sniffing, need to be no more than three feet away from her for her entire pregnancy made horrible sense. Her heart broke for him, and she turned in his arms, struggling to see his face.

"No, no, Inuyasha, look at me." She pushed on his shoulders as he resisted, burrowing his face into her hair. "Inu please!"

He sat back, and Kagome wiped away the silent tears that he had tried to hide, still rolling slowly down his cheeks. "I don't think that's going to happen. I'm much too stubborn to go anywhere without you. I chose to come back to you, remember? Not even five centuries could keep us apart. And the way this baby has been kicking me, I'm pretty sure he or she has inherited stubbornness from both of us."

She kissed away the tears on his cheeks, tasting salt. "I love you so much, my Inu. In just a little while, we are going to be a bigger family. You are going to be a Papa, and our little baby is going to love you so much. We just need to get through this day together."

She dropped her eyes down to her rounded stomach. "I'm a little nervous, more than a little nervous actually. This is going to hurt… a lot." She sighed, rubbing one hand over her stomach. "I know it's not traditional, but do you think… maybe, you could stay with me, when our baby is born?"

She felt Inuyasha's strong fingers tilting up her chin, and she smiled at him as he did his best to give her a fanged grin, unshed tears still brightening his eyes. "Keh. When have we ever done things the traditional way Kagome? Why would we start now?"

Kagome's eyes sparkled, but then glazed a little as another wave of pain rolled into her. Inuyasha pulled her forward so that her head rested on his shoulder and pushed his strong fingers into her back again. "I got you Kagome, breathe through it. Lean into me koibito." She rocked her hips, moaning a little, as Inuyasha massaged.

He sniffed the air, noticing a familiar scent coming towards their hut, and breathed a sigh of relief. This would solve the problem of leaving Kagome on her own to go get Sango, and alert Kaede that Kagome was in labour. There was no way he was going to leave her side today. He hadn't planned on it anyway, prepared to fight anyone who ordered him out, Kagome included, but knowing that she wanted him to stay too made him doubly determined.

Shippou wandered in the door, carrying the pair of mostly skinned rabbits. "Hey Kagome, did Inuyasha forget these? I just found them on the… what's goin' on!?"

Inuyasha grinned at him, continuing to rub Kagome's back. "Excellent timing runt. Looks like Kagome's having the baby today. Do you think you could get Sango and Kaede for us?"

Shippou's eyes widened in delight. "Really! Today?" He dropped the pair of rabbits over on the little table where Kagome prepared meals, and then took off running. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't have the baby before I get back, okay?" he called over his shoulder.

"I'll do my best", muttered Kagome as the pain from the contraction tapered off, slowly dragging herself upwards using Inuyasha like a post. Inuyasha chuckled. "Can you help me up please?" Inuyasha helped her to her feet.

"I need to walk", she said.

"Are you sure?" asked Inuyasha, his brows lowered in puzzlement, as he kissed her on the forehead.

Kagome nodded. "Walking helps bring the baby down into the right position."

Inuyasha scratched his ear. "Well, I guess that makes sense. Let's go for a stroll wench o'mine."

He helped Kagome walk back outside, and they began doing laps around the hut, stopping every few minutes for Kagome to lean on Inuyasha as a contraction hit. He rubbed her back each time, murmuring endearments in her ear; how strong she was, how proud he was of her, how he couldn't wait for the three of them to be a family together.

They had just come around the corner of the hut to see Sango standing at the front door when Kagome halted, a flush of embarrassment saturating her cheeks. As her posture stiffened a sweet smell flooded Inuyasha's nose. "You okay koibito?"

Kagome nodded, looking down. "My water just broke", she said hesitantly. "At least I think that's what happened." Inuyasha realised she was embarrassed because she thought she may have wet herself.

"It definitely doesn't smell like the other kind of leak", he smiled, squeezing her shoulder. "Your water is meant to break, right? So that's a good thing."

Sango put down her carrying cloth near the doorway, and walked over to them, smiling. "So, today's the big day huh? Shippou is very excited. I've got him helping Miroku look after the children at the moment to keep him occupied, otherwise he would have been back here. You're welcome to join them Inuyasha, I left enough lunch there for you too."

Kagome leaned her weight back on Inuyasha, as his arms came around to encircle her shoulders protectively. "No", he said gruffly. "I'm not leaving Kagome."

As Sango looked at them uncertainly, Kagome smiled at Sango. "I asked him to stay Sango. After last time I…" Her eyes glazed over a little as another contraction hit, and he immediately turned her around, so her head rested on his shoulder, rubbing into her back as she began rocking her hips and moaning.

"Breathe Kagome" he whispered in her ear as his strong fingers pressed in around her lower spine. "You're doing so well. You're so strong. That's the way koibito. My powerful miko, full of fire. There's nothing you can't do."

Smiling, touched at the sight of Inuyasha treating Kagome so tenderly in front of another person, Sango turned and went into the hut, happy to give them space, and began preparing things around the little hut. She put water on to boil and got some clean linen out of Kagome's storage chest. Seeing the rabbits left on the table, she began preparing them to make a stew, knowing that Kagome and Inuyasha would be hungry later.

It was probably an hour later, when the rabbit and vegetable stew was bubbling in a pot hanging over the firepit, and Sango had the sleeping futon ready that the pair reappeared, coming in through the doorway. Kagome stumbled, her legs rubbery, and Inuyasha lowered her to the floor, sitting so she could lean against him.

Kagome was flushed and sweating. "Sango", she moaned, "I can't do this!" She turned her face into Inuyasha again, her low guttural groan buried into his shoulder.

Inuyasha turned his worried eyes to Sango. "Her pain is all the time now. Is that…" Sango answered his implied question soothingly.

"It's fine, that's what's meant to happen Inuyasha. Her body is getting ready to help push the baby out."

She sat down next to them, a cool wet cloth in her hands. She wiped Kagome's sweaty face, making soothing sounds. "You're nearly there Kagome. That feeling you've got right now, that you can't go on, that you won't be able to do this, that's totally normal. It happens to every woman in labour." She pushed Kagome's sweaty fringe out of her eyes, and kissed her forehead, remembering her own labours and feeling empathy for her friend. "Pretty soon, you'll probably feel like you need to push, but if you can, hold on just a little longer until Kaede gets here."

Kagome moaned as the contractions piled up, one on top of the other. "I can't, I really can't." She rocked against Inuyasha, as he rumbled a soothing purr with his hands pushing down her spine, his cheeks a little flushed at making a noise that was usually private in front of Sango, but willing to do it because Kagome had previously said that it helped.

As Sango leant to wring out the cloth and re-wet it, the hanging mat in the doorway was pulled aside, and Kaede shuffled in quietly.

"About time you got here baba", growled Inuyasha, his fingers still massaging Kagome's back as she panted. The old miko raised one eyebrow at the presence of the hanyou.

"Inuyasha, why are ye still here?" she asked, placing a cloth bundle and small wooden birthing stool on the wooden floor as she slid her feet out of her zori.

"Kagome asked him to stay", explained Sango, as Inuyasha growled.

"I'm not leavin'", he rumbled, turning his attention back to Kagome. "Kagome wants me here. I need to be here. After last time I…", he swallowed, then looked at Kaede, unable to hide his trepidation, naked fear revealed in his eyes. "Please, I need to stay with them."

Kaede looked at him appraisingly for a moment, watching as Kagome moaned again and he murmured words of encouragement and love into her ear, and then she smiled. Groaning a little as she bent down to sit on her knees as her older bones protested, she shuffled forwards, so she could examine Kagome.

"Alright Inuyasha, ye can stay. Time to help welcome your little one into the world."

* * *

Shippou sat in the loquat tree outside Sango and Miroku's hut, pouting, taking a break from playing with the twins, who had pulled his tail during their game of tag just a few too many times. At least now they were happily sitting in the long grass near their father, playing a game with sticks and flowers. "I don't see why Inuyasha gets to stay and I don't", he muttered to Miroku. "I love Kagome too you know."

Miroku looked up from his spot leaning against the trunk of the tree and smiled, cradling his youngest son in his arms. He had crashed for a nap after doing his best to toddle after his older sisters all afternoon, his little legs tiring more easily than theirs. "We all love Kagome Shippou. She is working hard right now. Bringing a baby into the world can be a long and painful process, and she needs to concentrate all her energy onto that task, rather than worrying about you."

"But I could help!" Shippou whined. "Sango is helping, Inuyasha is helping, Kaede is helping! I could, I don't know… fetch and carry stuff, or find her good things to eat."

Miroku nodded in approval. "You will still be able to do all those things for her. She and Inuyasha will need all the help they can get once the baby is born, because Kagome has no family here in the village to help."

"Pfft", snorted Shippou, picking one of the bright orange loquats and biting into its sweet flesh. "She has family. We're her family now."

Miroku smiled. "I guess that is true. We certainly have been through a lot together. Loving bonds of family created through trust and friendship." He looked up after hearing Shippou drop the fruit out of his hands in surprise. A huge fanged grin unfurled across Shippou's small face.

"A baby! I can hear a baby crying Miroku!" He leapt to the ground and would have bolted straight to Inuyasha and Kagome's hut, had Miroku not halted him with a shout of "Wait", as loudly as he dared with his sleeping son in his arms. Shippou paused, looking back over his shoulder.

"I know you are anxious to meet the new baby Shippou. I am too, but please, give them a little time alone together before we all go over. Kagome is probably feeling very sore and tired, and knowing Inuyasha, he will be in protective mode. We will all go over together, when Sango says we can."

Shippou slumped down on a tree root next to Miroku, crossing his arms with a pout. "Don't see why I'm always the last to see stuff", he muttered, then leapt up in alarm as he realised that Miroku's girls had noticed he was no longer safely up on his perch in the tree.

"Let's play catch Shippou!" they squealed, and he was off, with the twins running along as fast as they could behind him. Miroku grinned, amused by Shippou's zig zagging efforts to evade the twins in the long grass. They always seemed to catch him in the end. He put it down to them inheriting their mother's superior demon slaying skills.

He leaned down, tenderly kissing his son's forehead, stroking back the sweaty curls stuck to his son's sleeping face. He wondered who Inuyasha and Kagome's baby would take after. Another little one in their eclectic family. He loved his own little brood, and would be happy to add more children, if Sango was willing. Sighing in contentment, he leaned his head back against the tree, dozing a little in the warm sunshine, happy with most of his little family safely around him.

* * *

Inuyasha looked down at the tiny girl nestled in Kagome's arms, suckling determinedly at her mother's breast. Her little eyes were closed in bliss, and her pale chubby arms made clumsy swooping motions, grasping at nothing. He reached down and gently touched one of her tiny ears, covered with downy white hair, still folded over against her head.

He was sitting on their futon, with his back propped up against the wall and Kagome leaning back against him, exhausted but blissful. Kaede had left a few minutes ago with a promise to come back again tomorrow to check on them, happy with the way Kagome was recovering from the birth and pleased to see the tiny girl feeding well. Their little home was clean and tidy again - Sango had mopped the floor and put everything back to rights, and was getting ready to head back home to her own children.

"Inuyasha", Sango said softly, a bit hesitant to interrupt the little family, but wanting to ask a question before she left. "I know Shippou would like to come and meet the baby, but would you like us to keep him at our place for tonight?"

Inuyasha looked up with a dazed expression. "What?"

Sango smiled, remembering a similar expression on Miroku's face when the twins had been born. "We will keep Shippou at our hut tonight, and bring him over to visit tomorrow", she said gently.

"Oh. Okay", said Inuyasha, looking back down to Kagome and the baby. Then realising she was leaving, he looked up again. "Sango wait, I…" he frowned not quite sure what he wanted to say.

She smiled again, taking in the happy picture of Kagome humming to her baby as she fed her, besotted, in her own little world, wrapped in Inuyasha's fire rat suikan with his protective arms around them both. "You're welcome Inuyasha. You and Kagome, and your little girl, are family. There isn't anything that I wouldn't do to help. I will see you three tomorrow."

Inuyasha looked at her with a focused expression, as if determined to say something he found difficult. "Sango, I know I don't say it much, but you and Miroku, and your children, I… yeah." He blushed a little at not being able to say exactly what he wanted. "You're family too."

Sango smiled softly. "Thank you Inuyasha. That means a lot to me, and I know Miroku feels the same way." She picked up her carrying cloth and slung it over her shoulders. "If you get hungry, there's rabbit stew in the pot, and miso soup. I have the tea things out too, if you wanted to make some for Kagome soon. It's important for her to drink regularly to help with feeding the baby." She smiled at the little family one last time, and set off for home, happy to be leaving before it got too dark.

Kagome had finished feeding the baby and was laughing at the drunk look on her tiny face as she dozed off, little fists clenched tight under her chin. She wiped off a small dribble of milk from her baby's mouth.

"What are we going to call her Inuyasha?", Kagome asked softly. "I have an idea, but I want to hear what you think first."

"Anything you come up with is bound to be better than any ideas I have wench o'mine", he smiled, unable to look away from the tiny little scrap in Kagome's arms.

Kagome too a deep breath. "Okay then. I want to name her after a woman who was very beautiful, so I've been told, and very strong. She didn't let what others think sway her from what she knew was right. She loved with her whole heart despite pressure from society and her family to follow what everyone else did." She leaned back and reached up to kiss Inuyasha gently on the chin. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to name her Izayoi."

Inuyasha's eyes brightened with tears for the second time that day, but for an entirely different reason. He hadn't heard his mother's name spoken by another for such a long time; apart from Myoga and Sesshomaru, he didn't think there was anyone else alive who remembered her. He was certainly the only person to visit her lonely grave. He had taken Kagome once, not long after she had returned through the well, and had told her his mother's name then, but hadn't mentioned it since.

"Can I hold her?" he asked in a trembling voice. Kagome smiled back at him, tears in her own eyes. She carefully placed their daughter in Inuyasha's arms, choking back a sound that she wasn't sure was a laugh or a sob at the reverent look of pure adoration in his eyes as he gazed at his sleeping daughter.

"Izayoi", he murmured, stroking the tiny ear again, which twitched at the slight touch.

"I couldn't have done this today without you my Inu", said Kagome, leaning against his shoulder.

"Sure you could have", scoffed Inuyasha, careful to keep his voice low so as not to wake the baby. "I don't think you realise just how strong you are Kagome. I've never doubted you."

"I'm strong because you believe I am", she smiled, then yawned. Exhaustion was beginning to set in.

"You need to have a nap before Izayoi wakes up again", said Inuyasha. "Lay down."

Wanting to protest, but so tired that she realised that she needed to give in, Kagome laid down on the futon. Inuyasha carefully placed Izayoi next to her and covered both of them in his fire rat. He sat against the wall, knees up, and Kagome was reminded of all those times during their fight against Naraku that he had slept that way, sitting against the wall on guard, even in his sleep. Her eyelids were heavy, but she didn't want to close her eyes. Inuyasha gently stroked her forehead as she yawned again.

As her eyes drifted closed, he realised that their nights where it was just the two of them had come to an end. It both excited and terrified him. He sat watching Kagome sleep, her hands curled protectively around their daughter. He realised that he wouldn't want it any other way.


End file.
